Ok... I'm a 22 year old male and I went for a checkup recently and was told I was overweight (yeah no shock there). However they did a chest x-ray and the doctor said my heart was getting enlarged... now I'm freaked out. Anyways they did several other tests like an ECG and blood work and that all seems to be normal.

Now my question is this. He said my blood pressure was high and prescribed some pills (I cant really make out what they are called) he said I should take one every morning and lose weight then go back in a month. Ok I know I need to lose weight (I'm about 5'11" and 240lbs) however I'm not so sure about the pills. I've been taking my blood pressure (as he didn't tell me/I forgot what it was when they did it at the doctors office) and I continue to get reading of around 135/80 something. Now I know this is a little high... but enough to have me take pills? If you haven't noticed I HATE pills so that's why I would really not like to take them if I don't have to. Also my concern is I've always heard when you start taking blood pressure pills you have to take them for LIFE!

Ordinarily I wouldn't be too concerned about 135/80 something, especially since you are going to lose weight. The part I don't know about is the enlarged heart. Can any of our heart patients weigh in on this?

Well from what I understand it seems since I have been overweight most of my life my heart has to work harder to pump the blood and thus my heart gets enlarged. So I dunno if maybe the pills would be to help reduce the workload on my heart or something... I will be taking my bp some more and see how hight it gets because I'm sure it could be higher than 135/80 but I don't know if it would be higher enough to the point where I need to take pills.

Ordinarily 135/80 is not high enough to make taking pills make much sense. The enlarged heart might make a difference; it will likely go back to normal with aggressive bp control. Take a mild pill, not a beta blocker, if you're going to do it. And count on
getting off of it when you hit 200 poinds or so.

Ok well I've kept checking my bp and the highest I reading so far was 144/84 and this was just after I ate. Also I believe the pill I was perscribed is lisinopril... atleast that's what I can make out. Lisinopril #30 1gd

Taking BP meds may be for life for most people because they aren't able to get their pressure down otherwise. But it isn't necessarily for life. I'm a prime example. I took 30 mg Lisinopril for four years, then 10 mg for one year. I've been off them since January and my BP is averaging around 126/76 unmedicated. My high BP was largely stress related, that's why I've been able to get off it when I'm no longer so stressed. I think changed diet may have given it the final boost to get off it completely, too.

I had absolutely no side effects from the Lisinopril, so taking the pill was no big problem, except for my bad memory about taking it. Some people do experience side effects with it, though, but I wouldn't worry about it until it actually happens to you.

I'm with Pal, though. I wouldn't expect that meds are needed at that BP, and don't know how the enlarged heart influences the situation. That may make it more important to get the pressure down lower. So I'd go with the doctor's advice, but plan to get off the meds later. Losing the extra weight should help reduce your pressure so you won't need the meds.